SOUTH AFRICA: Country to impose additional nationwide COVID-19 restrictions

The country's National State of Disaster has been extended until 15 January 2021. In addition to the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro, the Sarah Baartman district and Garden Route district have been declared as Coronavirus hotspots. A curfew between 10h00 pm and 04h00 am will come into effect for these metros and districts with immediate effect as of midnight, 14 December 2020. Beaches and public parks in the Eastern Cape and Garden Route district will be closed between 16 December 2020 and 3 January 2021. Beaches and public parks in Kwazulu Natal will be closed on 16, 25, 26 and 31 December 2020 as well as on 1, 2 and 3 January 2021. Beaches and public parks in the Northern Cape and Western Cape will remain open. Beaches and public parks permitted to remain open will do so between 9am and 6pm daily. Festivals and live performances are prohibited. There will be stricter enforcement of level one restrictions with additional restrictions to be implemented nationwide as of midnight, 14 December 2020. These restrictions are: curfew between 11pm and 4am, non-essential establishments such as restaurants and bars must close at 10pm. The sale of alcohol is only permitted between 10am and 6pm from Monday to Thursday and the consumption of alcohol on public beaches or in public parks is strictly prohibited.
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EMIRATES: Airline issues peak travel advisory for Dubai International Airport

The Dubai-based airline has announced that it is expecting a busy holiday travel period, and asks customers departing from Terminal 3 of Dubai International Airport to arrive at least three hours ahead of departure to allow extra time for check‑in and security screening. Passengers are also encouraged to use Emirates’ self check‑in and bag drop kiosks for a more seamless airport experience, with less queues and waiting time during the peak period.
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CEBU PACIFIC: Philippine airline increases flights to Asia travel hubs

Philippine low-cost airline Cebu Pacific has announced that it is increasing flight frequency between the country's capital of Manila and key Asian destinations including Singapore, South Korea, Hong Kong, Dubai and Japan; as border restrictions internationally begin to ease, the airline has done so to cater to increased demands for flights during the festive season. Flights between Manila and Singapore will now operate with an increased frequency of three times weekly, while flights between Manila and Dubai will operate six times weekly.
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QATAR AIRWAYS: Airline to begin U.S. flights to Seattle from 15 March 2021

The airline has announced that it will add flights to Seattle to its network from 15 March, launching a four-times weekly service from Doha using a two-class Airbus A350-900 aircraft. Seattle is the second U.S. destination added by the airline during the COVID-19 pandemic, following services to San Francisco which are due to launch on 15 December, alongside a frequent flyer program with Alaska Airlines. In total, from 15 March the airline will be operating 59 weekly flights to 11 U.S. destinations.
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SOUTH AFRICA: Cape Town International Airport opens mobile COVID-19 antigen testing unit

South Africa's government has opened a mobile COVID-19 test unit in the international arrivals hall at Cape Town International Airport (CTIA). The unit is open from 10.00-18.00 (local time) daily, and appointments are not required. The mobile testing unit in the pause area in the international arrivals hall at Cape Town International Airport is presently conducting antigen tests (rather than PCR tests as previously stated). The tests are intended for inbound passengers only arriving without a valid, negative PCR test result. The cost of the antigen test is R175 and results are available in 45 minutes.
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KLM: Airline to begin COVID-19 tested U.S. flights from 15 December 2020

The airline has said that it will begin to offer COVID-19 tested flights to Atlanta in the U.S., with passengers receiving one test five days before their flight, a second test shortly before the flight and a third test after landing. U.S. and EU passengers travelling inbound to Amsterdam from the U.S. will be able to skip a five-day quarantine on arrival if testing negative on all three stages. The flights will run four times per week from 15 December, with more expected providing that the pilot is successful.
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CATHAY PACIFIC: Airline to provide free COVID-19 insurance for passengers

The airline has announced that free of charge COVID-19 insurance will be automatically applied to flights booked from today, 7 December, through to 28 February 2021; the policy will cover medical expenses related to a COVID-19 diagnosis.
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SPICEJET: Indian low-cost airline lands in UAE's Ras al Khaimah for first time

The UAE's northernmost Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah has welcomed its first scheduled passenger flight by low-cost Indian airline SpiceJet. The arrival of the aircraft has been heralded as the commencement of both a new phase of operations for the United Arab Emirates’ transport hub, and a new era of connectivity between India and Ras Al Khaimah.
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VISTARA: Indian airline to launch Mumbai connection from January 2021

Indian airline Vistara has announced that it will operate non-stop flights between Mumbai and London Heathrow from 16 January; the airline will operate the flights three times a week – on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays - complementing its recently-launched service between Delhi and London Heathrow. The departures are part of a ‘transport bubble’ agreement between India and the UK and will be operated on Vistara’s brand-new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft.
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ETIHAD: Airline to launch new flights to Beijing from 7 December 2020

Etihad Airways has announced that it will begin flying to Beijing from its base in Abu Dhabi from 7 December, on a weekly service operated by a Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. The airline resumed services between Abu Dhabi and Shanghai in late July this year; with the second weekly flight soon to be added to Etihad’s global network, the airline becomes the only carrier in the MENA region operating non-stop passenger flights departing from both Shanghai and Beijing.
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EMIRATES: Airline re-launches complimentary hotel stays for some transit passengers

The Dubai-based airline re-launched its 'Dubai Connect' offer, which gives passengers transiting through its hub a complimentary hotel stay in Dubai. The offer is available to customers booked in all classes with a best connection time that exceeds 10 hours; passengers will receive a complimentary night’s stay in a 4 or 5-star hotel, ground transfers to and from the airport, meals at the hotel as well as a UAE visa on arrival where required.
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SOUTH AFRICA: COVID-19 testing opens at Johannesburg International Airport

Travellers departing from South Africa's O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg can get COVID-19 PCR-tested and collect their certificate at the airport prior to departure; National Health Laboratory Service is to operate three mobile test units in clearly identifiable vans located opposite the InterContinental Hotel, in front of the Police Station and on the lower level of the airport complex. The service is available 24/7 at a cost of R600 and results are available in four to six hours, with a prompt for certificate collection delivered by SMS.
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SOUTH AFRICA: Health screening withdrawn for domestic flight departures

South African regional carrier Mango Airlines has said in a statement published on their website that domestic port health screening across the national will be stopped from 00.01 (local time) on 25 November; under this same amendment, health questionnaires will no longer be required from domestic travellers from 25 November onwards.
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EMIRATES: Airline launches extended COVID-19 travel cover for passengers

The Dubai-based airline has today, 23 November, announced that it is extending its current COVID-19 cover with an expanded, multi-risk policy provided by AIG Travel; the cover will apply to all Emirates tickets from 1 December, including many codeshares services operated by other airline partners.
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EMIRATES: Airline to increase UK flight connection following quarantine move

Following the UK government announcing granting a travel corridor to arriving or returning passengers from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Dubai-based airline Emirates has announced plans to increase its UK flight connections. Among them, it operate its A380 aircraft four times a day to London Heathrow from 27 November and six times a week to Manchester from 2 December. Flights to Birmingham and Glasgow will also be increased from the current four-a-week to daily services at both cities, from 27 November and 1 December respectively.
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UNITED KINGDOM: UK government updates its 'travel corridor' quarantine exemption list

The UK government has announced that from 04.00 (GMT) on Saturday 21 November, anyone arriving or returning from the following countries to England, Wales or Northern Ireland will NOT be required to self-isolate: Israel, Namibia, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Uruguay, Bonaire, St Eustatius & Saba, the Northern Mariana Islands and the US Virgin Islands. No countries were this week removed from the 'travel corridor' list.
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QATAR AIRWAYS: Airline signs agreement with Air Canada to provide Toronto flight connections

The middle-eastern airline has announced a finalised 'codeshare' agreement with Air Canada, for travel between Qatar's capital of Doha and the Canadian city of Toronto. The first flight will operate on 15 December and seats are now available for sale, offering a more seamless, one-stop connection between the two hubs.
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LIFT: New South African budget airline to begin flying from 10 December 2020

New South African budget airline Lift, co-founded by created of low-cost airline Kulula, will take to the skies in the country from 10 December with its fleet of three Airbus A320 aircraft. A first for low-cost airlines, Lift will allow greater ticket flexibility than other budget carriers; passengers will be able to change or cancel flights without penalty.
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OMAN AIR: Airline to launch new India connections from 19 November 2020

The airline has announced that it will add twice-weekly services to the Indian cities of Chennai and Hyderabad from 19 November 19th, which will operate on Thursdays and Saturdays. The national carrier of the sultanate of Oman has also said that it will maintain its comprehensive safety program throughout all elements of the travel journey to ensure that guests fly confidently.
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ETIHAD: Airline to launch flights to Israel from 28 March 2021

The Abu Dhabi-based airline Etihad Airways has announced that it will launch a daily scheduled year-round flight to Tel Aviv in Israel from 28 March 2020. The launch of the flight follows the normalisation of diplomatic ties between the two nations, on 15 September.
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